Kwara Mobile Court Convicts 12 for Environmental Law Breaches

Twelve individuals have been convicted by a mobile court set up by the Kwara State Government for breaching state environmental laws.

This was revealed in a statement on Tuesday by Muritala Shakirat, Press Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, stating that the court began sitting on Monday at the Ilorin Central Market (Oja-Oba). The violators were arrested across various locations within the market.

They were charged primarily for encroaching on roads and illegally displaying goods on pedestrian walkways, despite repeated warnings and public sensitisation efforts by the government.

The mobile court, presided over by Magistrate Muhammad Aluko, along with Environmental Health Officers and security personnel, found the offenders guilty. However, considering they were first-time violators, the court gave them the option of paying fines, which were duly remitted to the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service.

During an unscheduled inspection of the court sitting, a delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, delivered a message from the Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge.

The commissioner appreciated the coordinated efforts of security agencies and stakeholders in the ongoing campaign against waste mismanagement and road encroachment, emphasizing the state’s commitment to a cleaner and more orderly Kwara under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

She urged citizens to remain law-abiding and support the government’s vision by refraining from indiscriminate dumping of refuse and obstruction of public spaces.